


Limitless

by whichstiel



Series: Season 15 Codas [10]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s15e19 Inherit the Earth, Human Castiel (Supernatural), M/M, episode coda, spn 15x19
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:02:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27634505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whichstiel/pseuds/whichstiel
Summary: Just a quick little coda to let me work through the idea of human Cas, plus Jack inhabiting all things...
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Series: Season 15 Codas [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1514042
Comments: 10
Kudos: 51
Collections: SPN Finale "Destiel is CANON" Collection





	Limitless

The woods surrounding the bunker were thickly overgrown, like a closely woven cloak draped over the old building’s shoulders. In the canopy, a squirrel chattered out the borders of its territory. Distant, sleepy birdsong filled the gaps between the branches. Early sunshine reached through the branches like fingers threading through hair. Castiel stood in the perceptible warmth of the sun’s rays, Dean at his elbow.

“You sure you want to do this?” Worry layered Dean’s words - worry learned over a lifetime, so Castiel didn’t rise to it.

“I’m sure.” He manifested his blade and it slid, cool and familiar into his palm. Turning towards Dean, Castiel took his hand and pressed it into his hand. Dean’s fingers closed around it reflexively after a lifetime of handling weapons, and he pulled it close to chest as Castiel shook free from his coat.

“You know I’ll love you no matter what, right? Angel, human. Doesn’t matter to me as long as it’s you.”

Castiel’s lips slid upward. “I know. Believe it or not, that makes this easier. I won’t be able to heal or search minds or—“

“Doesn’t matter.” Dean’s quick assurance resonated with the conversations they’d already had - first after Castiel’s resurrection and later in quiet moments between the covers, as the clock traced out the measures of morning.

“You know, I never feared death. Not for myself. As an angel, I never considered an _after_ of any kind. Now I know that any afterlife is just a fraught for an angel as a human. And just as permanent.” Castiel breathed out slowly. “I tried so hard to make it easy for me to say goodbye to you. I’ve been trying for years. Trying to tell myself that as an angel I could only be near you for so long anyway before you died and found permanent rest in Heaven. I’ll love you forever. But I’ve been trying to say goodbye since we met.”

“I’m sorry for all the times that I—“

Castiel laughed, a lightweight thing. “For what? We were both, as you would say, dumbasses.”

Dean grinned. “Thought you didn’t like that word for you ’n’ me.”

“Times change.” Castiel shrugged and gestured for his blade. “And so do I. This is the right thing for me. You know when the Empty sent me back the first time, I found myself in a field and I lifted my head to the sun shining on my face. And it felt different being on earth again. I was glad to be back but…I wanted more.” He shook his head. “I wanted more, but I didn’t think I could be useful without my grace. But now—“ Castiel cut his grace out in one quick, sure slice. Cool power slid through his body, coiled in his throat, and flowed out of him. He opened his eyes and watched part of himself flow into the earth at their feet.

Dean’s gentle hands closed in on his skin, bandaging his throat and then running careful fingers along Castiel’s jaw, like he could find cracks to fix that way. “Hey. You okay? You can still, I dunno… Call it back?”

Castiel blinked carefully, and tested a deep inhale. Blowing it out slowly, he nodded. “I could call it back,” he said consideringly. “But I won’t.”

“‘Cause now you can ride the human train. With me?”

Leveling a look at Dean, Castiel said, “Don’t think I don’t notice that tone. You are worth my love, and one of these days you’re going to finally believe it.” He leaned down to pick up his coat, pleased to see the tiny green shoots already emerging where his grace had absorbed into the ground. “But it’s not about you. Avoiding the fate of the Empty is well worth the price of admission. Besides…” Castiel ran a loving hand over the delicate shoots, smiling as they tickled along his palm. “This way a part of me will always be close to Jack. Watching over him, or maybe it’s the opposite.”

Castiel stood up and the sun wrapped around Dean and himself. He could no longer describe in detail its wavelength, or see the solar system rotating in its rays. But it was still warm. And when he leaned in to kiss Dean, he didn’t feel like he was lacking. His world stretched and changed, just as he did. A human soul could bloom larger than a galaxy, after all. Whether on earth or the ever-after, he was still a limitless creature grown large in love.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I’m on Tumblr @ whichstiel. You may also like the Supernatural recap and gif blog I co-write/curate, Shirtless Sammy.


End file.
